Transport assembly

ABSTRACT

Transport assembly comprising a transportation means which comprises a pallet-like carrying structure with two long sides, two short sides, four corners, an upper surface and a lower surface. The carrying structure is provided with wheels at each of the four corners of which at least two of the wheels possibly are of the swivel castor wheel type. The upper surface is furthermore provided with receiving means which are intended to receive the wheels of a second transportation means stacked on top of a first transportation means so that a number of such transportation means may be stacked, and fixated horizontally, one on top of the other. The upper surface is provided with two narrow long side channels arranged parallel to the long sides and stretching from one short side to the other. The long side channels are placed at a distance from each other which is mainly equal to the distance between the wheels, as seen from a short side, wherein transportation means may be placed one on top of the other by rolling them into engagement with each other in a lengthways direction. The transport assembly further comprises a plurality of containers stacked on top of the transportation means and a lid applied on top of the stack of containers.

The present invention relates to a transportation means comprising apallet-like carrying structure provided with wheels a plurality ofcontainers and a lid.

Transportation means consisting of a carrying structure provided withwheels on the lower side has been known for a long time. They are mostoften of a format adapted to containers used for transportation anstorage of goods. Most common formats, as seen from above, are 0.4×0.6metres and 0.6×0.8 metres. The transportation means do, of course, needto be transported empty from time to time. In order to do that, thetransportation means need to be stacked on top of each other. Since theyare provided with wheels they will roll around and a stack will beimpossible to handle. There are a number of way to secure such a stack.

One known such way is to alternately turn the transportation means 90°so that they rest, not on their wheels, but on the carrying structureitself. In order to secure the stack, the carrying structure is providedwith guiding means on the rim. This solution is known from GB 2 207 894.The disadvantage with this solution is that the stack will not beadapted to any pallet format standard. Such a stack will therefore be abit bulky.

Another way to solve the problem is shown in GB 0 904 198 where theupper surface of the carrying structure is provided with small pocketswhich is intended to accommodate the wheels. The problems with thissolution is that it is a bit difficult to position the transportationmeans exactly enough to make the wheels engage the pockets.

A slight improvement upon GB 0 904 198 is known from EP 0 675 829. Theupper surface has here been provided with a bowl-like structure with ashape that corresponds to the radius of the swivel castor wheel asrotated around the swivelling axis. It will be a bit easier to positiona transportation means according to EP 0 675 829 when compared to GB 0904 198 but the design will allow some sideways movement which does notprovide a perfect vertical alignment of the stack.

A variation of EP 0 675 829 which also gives some improvement upon thesame is known from GB 2 281 897 where the bowl-like shapes known from EP0 675 829 have been provided with sloping partition walls guiding thewheels into four narrow pockets. The disadvantage with this solution isthat swivel castor wheels might be stuck on top of the partition wall.You will furthermore have to position the transportation means ratherexactly in order to make it fall into the correct position.

All of the above transportation means suffer from the disadvantage thatthey have to be positioned onto one another by being lowered from abovein a more or less vertically aligned position when being stacked. Thisworks rather well, although it is time consuming, as long as the stackis relatively low. It will however be rather difficult to position thetransportation means when the stack reaches shoulder height and above.This is specially pronounced when they are heavy. There is also anergonomic aspect to the stacking since the transportation means willhave to be lifted into engagement. Neck, back and shoulder problems aremost likely to occur if this stacking operation is repeated for a longerperiod of time.

A transportation means which shows radical improvement on the ergonomicfield is known from WO 00/51898.

The transportation means discussed above is most often used fortransporting containers in short, controlled and closed loops like froma local bakery to a nearby supermarket. It is not possible to use thistype of transport system for a more open type of transport of securityreasons since it is very easy to tamper with this type of package. Thisis a problem that needs to be solved.

According to the present invention a transport assembly which meets therequirement for a secure transport has been achieved. Accordingly, theinvention relates to a transport assembly comprising a transportationmeans which comprises a pallet-like carrying structure. The pallet likecarrying structure is provided with two long sides, two short sides,four corners, an upper surface and a lower surface. The carryingstructure is also provided with wheels at each of the four corners ofwhich at least two of the wheels possibly are of the swivel castor wheeltype. The upper surface is furthermore provided with receiving meanswhich are intended to receive the wheels of a second transportationmeans stacked on top of a first transportation means so that a number ofsuch transportation means may be stacked, and fixated horizontally, oneon top of the other. Thus, the upper surface is provided with two narrowlong side channels arranged parallel to the long sides and which arestretching from one short side to the other. The long side channels areplaced at a distance from each other which is mainly equal to thedistance between the wheels, as seen from a short side. Thetransportation means may be placed one on top of the other by rollingthem into engagement with each other in a lengthways direction. Theinvention is characterised in that the transport assembly furthercomprises a plurality of containers stacked on top of the transportationmeans and a lid applied on top of the stack of containers.

The stack of containers and the lid is preferably secured to thetransportation means by means of tensional straps. According to apreferred embodiment of the invention the transport assembly is securedfrom unauthorised tampering by means of providing the tensional strapwith a seal. It is according to another embodiment of the inventionpossible to secure the transport assembly from unauthorised tampering bymeans of providing the transportation means, the containers and the lidwith one or more seals. It is for example possible to use a tensionalstrap which is used only once and which will have the double function oftensional strap as well as a seal. The tensional strap suitably compisesa strap and a tensioning devise. According to one embodiment thetensioning device is integrated in the transportation means. It ishereby possible to arrange it flush with the outer surfaces of thetransportation means. The tensioning device will hereby be protectedfrom being damaged during transport.

According to one embodiment of the invention the containers are providedwith a base and four foldable side walls. It will hereby be possible toreduce the transport volume when shipping empty containers.

The lid is preferably provided with receiving means which are intendedto receive the wheels of a second transportation means of a secondtransport assembly stacked on top of a first transportation means sothat a plurality of such transport assemblies may be stacked, andfixated horizontally, one on top of the other. The upper surface of thelid is provided with two parallel narrow long side channels of the lid,stretching from one short side of the lid to the other. The long sidechannels of the lid are placed at a distance from each other which ismainly equal to the distance between the wheels, as seen from a shortside. The transportation means may be placed on top of the lid byrolling it into engagement with the lid in a lengthways direction.

The long side channels of the lid are suitably also provided withchannel stoppers of the lid placed at a distance from each of the shortside ends of the long side channels of the lid, which distance isadapted to the radius of the wheels so that a wheel is prevented frommoving inwards in the long side channel of the lid. Inner channelstoppers of the lid are suitably placed at a position corresponding tothe vertical swivelling axis of the swivel castor wheels. The lid issuitably provided with protrusions intended to interact with upper sidewall edges of the containers on its lower side. This interactionresulting in stabilising a stack of containers. This stabilising effectis specially noted when the base area of the containers are ½, ¼, etc.the area of the transportation means, meaning that the stack ofcontainers consist of 2, 4 etc. towers of containers arranged closetogether. The lid will here keep the containers together.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a plurality ofcontainers, in a collapsed state, at least one, possibly a plurality oflids and at least one possibly a plurality of transportation means areassembled as a unit kept together by means of the tensional strapsduring empty return transport of said containers.

The invention is explained further together with enclosed drawings,showing a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein,

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective view, a preferred embodiment of a transportassembly 10 according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows, in perspective a transportation means 1 shown in FIG. 1.

Accordingly, FIG. 1 shows, in perspective view, a transport assembly 10according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The transportassembly 10 comprises a transportation means 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2. The transportation means 1 comprises apallet-like carrying structure 2 with two long sides 21, two short sides22, four corners 23, an upper surface 24 and a lower surface 25. Thecarrying structure is provided with wheels 3 at each of the four corners23 of which two of the wheels 3 are of the swivel castor wheel type 3′.The upper surface 24 is furthermore is provided with receiving meanswhich are intended to receive the wheels 3 of a second transportationmeans 1 stacked on top of a first transportation means 1 so that anumber of such transportation means 1 may be stacked, and fixatedhorizontally, one on top of the other. The upper surface 24 is providedwith two narrow long side channels 26 arranged parallel to the longsides 21. Accordingly, these long side channels 26 are stretching fromone short side 22 to the other. The long side channels 26 are placed ata distance from each other which is mainly equal to the distance betweenthe wheels 3, as seen from a short side 22. The transportation means 1may thus be placed one on top of the other by rolling them intoengagement with each other in a lengthways direction.

Referring now, again, to FIG. 1. The transport assembly 10 furthercomprises a plurality of containers 4 stacked on top of thetransportation means 1 and a lid 5 applied on top of the stack ofcontainers 4. These containers 4 suitably has a horizontal dimension, aso-called foot-print, which is a multiple of the horizontal area of thetransportation means 1. The foot-print area of the containers 4 mayaccordingly be 1/1, ½, ⅓, ¼, ⅙, 1/8 etc. of the base area of thetransportation means 1. In one example the dimension of thetransportation means 1 is 600×800 mm and the base dimension of thecontainers most commonly used hereon are 600×400 mm and 400×300 mm. Thestack of containers 4 and the lid 5 is secured to the transportationmeans 1 by means of a tensional strap 6. The transport assembly 10 issecured from unauthorised tampering by means of providing the tensionalstrap 6 with a seal. In order to reduce transport volume when shippingthe transport assembly 10 empty the containers 4 are provided with abase and four foldable side walls so that they may be collapsed whenhaving no content. It will in this way be possible to ship a pluralityof containers 4 in a collapsed state, a plurality of lids 5 and possiblya plurality of transportation means 1 which are assembled as a unit kepttogether by means of the tensional strap 6 during empty return transportof said containers 4. The transport assembly 10 may alternatively besecured from unauthorised tampering by means of providing thetransportation means 1, the containers 4 and the lid 5 with one or moreseals.

The lid 5 is provided with receiving means which are intended to receivethe wheels 3 of a second transportation means 1 of a second transportassembly 10 stacked on top of a first transportation means 1 so that aplurality of such transport assemblies 10 may be stacked, and fixatedhorizontally, one on top of the other. The upper surface 54 of the lid 5is provided with two parallel narrow long side channels 55 of the lid 5stretching from one short side of the lid to the other. The long sidechannels 55 of the lid 5 is placed at a distance from each other whichis mainly equal to the distance between the wheels 3, as seen from ashort side 22. The transportation means 1 may hereby be placed on top ofthe lid 5 by rolling it into engagement with the lid 5 in a lengthwaysdirection. The long side channels 55 of the lid 5 are provided withchannel stoppers 55″ of the lid 5 placed at a distance from each of theshort side ends of the long side channels 55 of the lid 5. This distanceis adapted to the radius of the wheels 3 so that a wheel 3 is preventedfrom moving inwards in the long side channel 55 of the lid 5. Innerchannel stoppers 55″ of the lid 5 are placed at a position correspondingto the vertical swivelling axis of the swivel castor wheels 3′.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, since it can bevaried in different ways within the scope of the invention.

1. Transport assembly comprising a transportation means which comprisesa pallet-like carrying structure with two long sides, two short sides,four corners, an upper surface and a lower surface, that the carryingstructure is provided with wheels at each of the four corners of whichat least two of the wheels possibly are of the swivel castor wheel type,that the upper surface furthermore is provided with receiving meanswhich are intended to receive the wheels of a second transportationmeans stacked on top of a first transportation means so that a number ofsuch transportation means may be stacked, and fixated horizontally, oneon top of the other, the upper surface being provided with two narrowlong side channels arranged parallel to the long sides and stretchingfrom one short side to the other, the long side channels being placed ata distance from each other which is mainly equal to the distance betweenthe wheels, as seen from a short side, wherein transportation means maybe placed one on top of the other by rolling them into engagement witheach other in a lengthways direction wherein the transport assemblyfurther comprises a plurality of containers stacked on top of thetransportation means and a lid applied on top of the stack ofcontainers.
 2. The transport assembly according to claim 1, wherein thestack of containers and the lid is secured to the transportation meansby means of tensional straps.
 3. The transport assembly according toclaim 2, wherein the transport assembly is secured from unauthorizedtampering by means of providing the tensional strap with a seal.
 4. Thetransport assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transport assemblyis secured from unauthorized tampering by means of providing thetransportation means, the containers and the lid with one or more seals.5. The transport assembly according to claim 1 wherein the containersare provided with a base and four foldable side walls.
 6. The transportassembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid is provided withreceiving means which are intended to receive the wheels of a secondtransportation means of a second transport assembly stacked on top of afirst transportation means so that a plurality of such transportassemblies may be stacked, and fixated horizontally, one on top of theother, an upper surface of th lid being provided with two parallelnarrow long side channels of the lid stretching from one short side ofthe lid to the other, the long side channels of the lid being placed ata distance from each other which is mainly equal to the distance betweenthe wheels, as seen from a short side, wherein transportation means maybe placed on top of the lid by rolling it into engagement with the lidin a lengthways direction.
 7. The transport assembly according to claim6, wherein the long side channels of the lid are provided with channelstoppers of the lid placed at a distance from each of the short sideends of the long side channels of the lid, which distance is adapted tothe radius of the wheels so that a wheel is prevented from movinginwards or outwards in the long side channel of the lid.
 8. Thetransport assembly according to claim 7, wherein inner channel stoppersof the lid are placed at a position corresponding to the verticalswivelling axis of the swivel castor wheels.
 9. The transport assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein a plurality of containers in a collapsedstate, a plurality of lids and possibly a plurality of transportationmeans are assembled as a unit kept together by means of the tensionalstraps during empty return transport of said containers.
 10. Thetransport assembly according to claim 6, wherein the lid is on its lowerside provided with protrusions intended to interact with upper side walledges of the containers, said interaction resulting in stabilizing astack of containers.
 11. The transport containers according to claim 2,wherein the tensional strap comprises a strap and a tensioning devicebeing integrated in the transportation means.